PLANNING FOR THE END OF A LOVED ONE'S LIFE CAN BE COMPLICATED AND OVERWHELMING. FOR A FAMILY IN SACO...A DECADE- LONG PLAN CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT WHEN THE DONATION OF THEIR MOTHER'S BODY WAS REJECTED FROM A PROGRAM SHE WAS ALREADY ACCEPTED INTO. NOW, THEY'RE SHARING THAT STORY IN THE HOPES OF HELPING OTHERS HOPING TO DONATE THEIR BODIES TO MEDICAL RESEARCH. IT WAS THEIR MOTHER'S DYING WISH. "mom was always the type of person that would put somebody else before herself." DELORES MCPHERSON, A RETIRED NURSE FROM SACO, WANTED HER BODY DONATED WHEN SHE DIED. IN JUNE OF 2002 SHE APPLIED AND WAS ACCEPTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND'S BODY DONOR PROGRAM. and we figured if she could donate her body to science that someone else would benefit " IT WAS JUNE 27TH OF THIS YEAR WHEN DELORES MCPHERSON PASSED AT THE AGE OF 84. HER BODY WAS TAKEN FROM HOSPICE CARE TO HOPE MEMORIAL CHAPEL, AND WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE UNIVERSITY SHORTLY AFTER. BUT THE NEXT MORNING, HER SON'S GOT A CALL FROM THE CHURCH. U-N-E HAD REFUSED THEIR MOTHERS BODY... BECAUSE SHE HAD A BODY MASS INDEX THAT WAS CONSIDERED OBESE. "and I said obesity. I said my mom is 5 7 she was always a big framed women I don't consider her obsese." SCOTT MCPHERSON SAYS HIS MOTHER HAD GAINED WEIGHT WHILE IN HOSPICE CARE. THEY WERE ONLY GIVEN THREE HOURS TO MAKE A NEW DECISION ON WHAT TO DO WITH HER BODY. "to have it go south on us was tough because we had just lost her and we were grieving and to have to deal with this on top of that made it really really tough to deal with." THE PROGRAM'S WEBSITE DOES LIST OBESITY AMONG OTHER REASONS WHY A BODY WOULD BE UNSUITABLE FOR ANATOMICAL RESEARCH. DR. DAVID WAYNE, AN ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR UNE'S COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE- EXPLAINS THAT IN THIS CASE, THE DIFFICULTY COMES WITH THE PROCESS OF EMBALMING. 18:34-18:46 the process will add about 100 pounds to whatever the weight is and it disfigures the anatomy in such a way that it can't be a learning experience." THE BROTHERS SAY THEY HAVE NO ILL WILL TOWARDS THE SCHOOL. THEY JUST WISH THEY KNEW TO FOLLOW UP CLOSER TO THE END OF THEIR MOTHERS LIFE, AND THEY WANT OTHER FAMILIES TO BE AWARE. It makes it that much more difficult and if we can spare another family from having to go through what we did it would be well worth it. DELORES MCPHERSON'S FAMILY DECIDED TO HAVE HER REMAINS CREMATED. DR DAVID WAYNE SAYS THE DONATION OF A BODY IS THE ULTIMATE GIFT FOR ANY MEDICAL SCHOOL AND CAN HELP TO CREATE TERRIFIC DOCTORS. BUT HE SAYS FAMILIES SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE BACKUP ARRANGEMENTS OR A PLAN B IN THE EVENT THAT THE UNIVERSITY IS

Blazes raging in forests and woodlands across California have taken the life of a firefighter and forced hundreds of people to flee their homes as crews continue to battle the flames from the air and the ground.